Building construction



1935. H. H. ZIMMERMAN BUILDING CONSTRUCTION v 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May25, 1933 Dec. 31, 1935. H, Z R A 2,026,294

BUILDiNG CONSTRUCTION Filed May 25, 1933 3 SheetsSheet 2 --Z2 F l F F lF7 x k Inventor 4 flfz T Z z'mirzarmam flllomey l Patented Dec. 31, 1935UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Henry H. Zimmerman,Muscatine, Iowa Application May 25, 1933, Serial No. 672,880 1 Claim.(01. 72-30 This invention relates to walls, partitions, floors andceilings for residences or other buildings, and also to the variouselements of which they may 'be produced and constructed, and

which consists of relatively thin plates of hardened plastic material,asconcrete, or other suitable material, having reinforcing bars whichare molded in them at the time of their construction together withimproved means for joining the plates together at their adjacent ends;and the invention will be best understood from a study of the followingdescription, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a partially constructed buildingillustrating the invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view illustrating the application of the invention inproviding a window.

Figure 3 is a plan view illustrating the use of the form provided for asupporting column or beam.

Figure 4 is an elevational view showing the use of the form for pouringa horizontal supporting beam or column.

Figures 5, 6 and 7 are top plan views illustrating some of the variousshapes of run-in place plastic beams comprehended by the presentinvention, and

Figure 8 is a similar view showing a wall structure consisting of but asingle step of place and illustrating still another form of run-in-placeplastic beams comprehended by the present invention.

- Referring to the drawings by reference numerals it will be seen that 5designates generally a vertical wall, 6 a flooring, and l a ceiling, all

constructed in accordance with the present invention. The vertical wall5, flooring 6, and ceiling 1 respectively are made up of pre-cast orformed plates 8 which may be of any suitable size and which preferablyare relatively thin.

These plate 8 have reinforcing rods 9 cast therein and the ends of therods project in reverse direction from the plate at relatively oppositeends of the respective plates as shown. In addition to the units orplates 8 the wall5, flooring G, and ceiling 7 respectively consist of aplurality of supporting columns or beams In which are formed during theconstruction of the building, and when pouring the concrete for formingthe supporting columns ID for the vertical walls 5 a form of the typeshown in Figure 3 and indicated generally by the reference numeral II isprovided; while when pouring the concrete to provide the supporting beamill for either the flooring 6 or the ceiling I a form of the typesuggested in Figure 4 and designated by the reference numeral [2 isprovided, the form being supported by suitable standards [3 or in anyother suitable manner. As will be clear from a study of Figures 1 and 3in forming a vertical wall, such as the wall 5 the outer plates 8forming the exterior side I4 of'the wall and the inner plates 8 formingthe interior side l5 oi. said wall are placed .on edge, in substantiallyhorizontal courses, with the ends in spaced relation and the projectingends of the rod 9 arranged in alinement and also slightly spaced. (SeeFigure 3). The plates 8 as before mentioned are precast and, inconstructing the wall there will also be provided a suitable foundationor footing l6.

As shown in Figure 3, at the vertical joints I1 between the plates,which joints are opposite each other on the two sides of the wall, areprovided the forms I i. These forms may be such as to provide supportingcolumns 10 of any suitable configuration, however in the presentinstance I have shown the forms ll being of such character that when theconcrete from which the supporting column is formed hardens, and theform ll removed the supporting column will be of substantially I-shape.However, and as willreadily be apparent to those skilled in the art theforms may be of such construction that supporting columns of cruciformshape or of any other desirable shape may be formed.

In the present instance the form ll consists of inner and outer verticalbroad fiat boards l8,

-l9 having secured to their inner faces in edge abutting relation pairsof slightly narrower strips 20, 2| and in the present instance I haveshown the side of the form constructed of the parts I8 and 20 disposedopposite the joint I! located exteriorly, and the side of the formsconsisting of the parts I9 and 2| located interio-rly. Also forming apart of the form II are two intermediate members arranged between theinner and outer facings l4, [5 of the wall at opposite sides of thejoint I! and each of these members are substantially U-shaped inhorizontal cross section comprising side strips 22 paralleling and inspaced relation to the strips 20, 2|. The vertical edge portions of theside strips 22 nearest to the joint I! are connected by narrow strips23. In forming the supporting column ill the concrete mix is poured intothe form filling the spaces between the strips 20, 22 and 2i and thespace between the opposing members 23 so that the resulting supportingcolumn, when the forms are removed will be of the shape clearly shown inFigure 3, in

the present instance substantially I-shaped. Manifestly the projectingends of the reinforcing rods 9 at the joint I! will be embedded in theconcrete of the column I and the columns thereby provide a positive andefiicient joint between the ends of the slabs, .the said column alsoadding the requisite strength and rigidity to the completed wall.

The flooring 6 and wall I are formed in substantially the same manner asthe vertical wall and it is thought that a detailed description of themanner of constructing either would be unnecessary. However, in thisconnection, and as shown in Figure 4, the form l2 provided for forming asupporting beam in corresponding in shape to a vertical supportingcolumn Ill of the vertical wall 5 differs from the form I l in that theparts I8 and 20 of the form H are not necessary, it, being apparent thatthe form 12 is disposed in a horizontal position and the concrete mixpoured into the form from the top of the fiooring or ceiling as the casemay be. As will also be noted in Figure 4 instead of having the adjacentend of the rods 9 being in slightly spaced relation it is proposed tohave the rods of each of the plates 8 so relatively spaced as to permitan overlapping relation of the rods for afiording greater reinforcementto the supporting beam I0.

In Figure 2 is shown a corner joint, and also suggested in this figureis a manner of forming a window opening. Shown in Figure 2 theprojecting ends of the rods 9 of the corner extend transversely, that isto say the projecting ends of the rods associated with the slabs formingone of the walls extend transversely to the ends of the reinforcing rodsassociated with the slabs of the other wall and'provide an efiicientreinforcement for the concrete corner beam or stud Z l. It will beunderstood that the corner studs are formed by providing first asuitable wood form and pouring the concrete mix into the form. In thepresent instance the form for the stud has been removed.

In said Figure 2 is also shown the manner in which an opening for awindow or door may be formed, a stud 25 being carried up on either sideof the opening, and in the present instance, the studs 25 are shown as asubstantial U-shape in end elevation and it will be of course understoodthat the studs 25 are formed and poured in a manner similar to that offorming and pouring the beams or columns I0, suitable forms beingprovided for the forming of the studs. It will also be understood that asuitable form will be placed between the forms of studs 25 so as topermit of the forming and pouring of a plastic sill 26 which of coursewill extend from one stud 25 to the other stud 25 as shown.

From the foregoing it will be seen that in accordance with the presentinvention a vertical wall, a flooring, or a ceiling is formed by firstlaying the precast reinforced plate 8, next arranging at the jointbetween the plates temporary forms such as the forms II or [2 and theforms then filled with a plastic material such as concrete for providingthe supporting beam or column l0. Such obviously provides for the con- 5struction of a building in a comparatively short time with a minimumnumber of men and without sacrificing strength and durability.

In Figures 5 to 8 inclusive are shown the possible variations in shapeof the columns or runin-place plastic beams l0, Figures 5 and 6 show,-ing such. beams to be in the form of a Maltese cross, while Figure 7shows such means as being substantially rectangular in end elevationwhile Figure 8 shows such beams being of substantial l5 T-shape.

In Figure 8 is also illustrated an application of the invention informing a wall from a single set of plates 8 as distinguished from thewalls consisting of two sets of plates spaced apart as illustrated inthe other figures of the drawings. In this connection it may be furtherstated that it is in no wise intended to limit the invention to theconstruction of a wall including either one or two sets of such plate 8since within the purview of the invention the walls consisting of threeor any other number of sets of such plates 8 may be constructed.

It will be further noted that forms of the type shown in Figures 3 and 4may be used regardless of the desired shape of run-in-place plastic beamto be used, the necessary rearrangements of the parts of the forms beingthought apparent to those skilled in the art.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is:

A building construction consisting of a plurality of plastic platesarranged in two sets spaced apart. each set of plates comprising aplurality of plates disposed with the vertical ends thereof inrelatively spaced relation, the plates of each set being also arrangedin superimposed horizontal courses, the joints of one set of platesbeing oppo site those of the other set of plates; reinforcing membersextending through said plates and projecting from the ends thereof intothe space provided at said joints, said reinforcing members beingstraight from end to end, with the projecting ends of the reinforcingmembers of one plate arranged in alternate relation with the projectingends of the reinforcing members of the next adjacent plate, and alsobeing arranged in substantially the same plane therewith and runin-placeplastic beams at the joints between the plates, each of the beams havingportions thereof arranged in the spaces between the ends of the platesand embedding the projecting ends of the reinforcing members, each ofsaid beams also including a part arranged in the space between the twosets of plates, each of said beams being of substantially I-shape.

HENRY H. ZIMMERMAN.

